The use of a fibrous and porous marker tip within a writing instrument is well-known within this field of art. Generally, these tips have elongated bodies which are secured within the "ink-discharge" end of a writing instrument. A portion of each tip is typically housed within the main body of the writing instrument and connects to a reservoir area whereby it is allowed to absorb the liquid marking medium. The remaining portion of the tip extends out from the writing instrument and, as the liquid marking medium is fully absorbed by the tip, may be drawn across a marking surface to produce a line of a given width.
The variety of applications to which these tips have been applied is quite great. Tips have been developed to apply permanent, water-based and even erasable types of ink. Further, tips have been manufactured having various shapes and hardnesses for use upon such marking surfaces as paper, cardboard, wallboard, wood, metal, concrete and other types of masonry surfaces.
The specific designs of the various marker tips which currently exist in the prior art have been primarily dictated by a particular marking need. That is, any one particular marker tip is designed to effectively produce a limited number of line widths--typically, one or two. Any attempt to draw lines of different widths than those which a tip is specifically designed for usually requires a user to hold the writing instrument at awkward and unintended angles. Similarly, the production of thicker lines often requires that a "double line" be drawn with a narrower tip. As a result of these various marking requirements, the shapes of tips currently available include round head, bullet head, pointed, angled and multi-angled. Indeed, it would not be uncommon for one to possess a number of these markers simply to accommodate a variety of marking requirements.
From the foregoing, it should be recognized that there is still a need in the marker industry for a marker tip which, when used as intended with an associated writing instrument, allows its user to create lines having a great variety of widths, can be maintained at a single angle with respect to a writing surface in producing such lines of varying widths, provides a veritable "point" for simple writing purposes and has a body which is easily adapted to the standard writing instruments which currently exist.